Additive manufacturing techniques enable the rapid creation of objects, structures, portions thereof prototypes, replacement parts, experimental parts, and make-shift items. Such items may be useful in inhospitable environments such as outer space, on a celestial body, aboard a marine vessel, underwater and remote environments. However, current additive manufacturing devices cannot function in such inhospitable environments due to, among other things, lack of gravity (e.g., in orbit, aboard a space station), low and high frequency vibration (e.g., aboard a marine vessel, on a submarine), unpredictable shocks (e.g., rocking and jostling of a marine vessel due to rough seas), and pitching or other alteration of the gravitational force relative to the build axis (e.g., during parabolic aircraft flight, a submarine rising or diving).
Current additive manufacturing devices generally require a flat, stable, gravitationally-uniform environment throughout a build in order to successfully produce a part. Such conditions do not exist in outer space, on or around other planets and celestial bodies, aboard spacecraft, aboard aircraft, on marine vessels (including submarines) or in other extreme environments.
Terrestrial manufacturing devices may produce parts via additive processes. That is, material is sequentially bonded or otherwise mechanically or chemically joined together in order to form the desired object. One class of additive manufacturing devices, fused deposition modeling (FDM) devices utilized a source of thermoplastics to produce parts. FDM devices often comprise a horizontally-oriented build table positionable in the z-axis and an extrusion nozzle which may be positioned where desired in an X/Y-plane. Positioning is controlled by worm gears, belt drives and the like. Such devices facilitate positioning portions of the additive manufacturing device but are susceptible to slippage and movement in microgravity or high-vibration environments. The extrusion nozzle is positioned and heated to a temperature which will melt supplied thermoplastic. Thermoplastic is fed through the nozzle, thereby depositing a desired amount of molten plastic at a location in order to form a portion of a part. In microgravity environments, FDM devices are unable to adequately position the extrusion nozzle relative to the build table, causing part construction failure. Maintaining a consistent flow of material through the extrusion nozzle may also be complicated. There is also risk that molten thermoplastic or feedstock may migrate or otherwise float away before adhering to in the desired location due to the lack of net external force to hold the material down. Similarly, in high-vibration environments, terrestrial additive manufacturing devices are unable to stabilize the position of the extrusion nozzle or other material deposition means relative to the build area, nor is a consistent flow of molten material achieved, preventing consistent creation of a part.
Given the foregoing, additive manufacturing devices which function in inhospitable environments such as outer space, aboard a marine vessel, underwater and remote environments are needed.